That 2011 World Cup Final was farcical. After fucking it up for 24 years, New Zealand were just not going to be allowed lost that. The message went out early in that game that New Zealand were not going to be penalised for a kickable penalty. They conceded any number of kickable penalties in the second half of that final and France were awarded none of them. New Zealand won 8-7. The referee who presided over that 2011 final was around four years later to fuck it up in the Australia v Scotland quarter final, incorrectly awarding Australia a last gasp penalty to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
What happened with Remy Grosso in Auckland last week was just sickening. Bad enough that Cane and Tuāungafasi got away with it on the field but not to be cited or punished retrospectively beggars belief.
Apart from institutional cheating like McCaw staying offside all game, theyāve been getting away with high tackles, cheap shots and foul and dangerous play as long as rugby has been played. There was disbelief in New Zealand last summer when a referee had the actual temerity to call them up on it and send off Sonny Bill Williams. First New Zealand player sent off in a test match in 50 years. Only two previous New Zealand players sent off, Colin Meads, 50 years previously at Murrayfield in 1967 and Cyril Brownlie at Twickenham in 1924. Meads didnāt pay much heed to what happened to him at Murrayfield in 1967. A year later he ended the career of the great Australian scrum half Ken Catchpole with a sickening tackle.
John Ryan should be on the bench at least. He dominated Leinster a month ago and was brilliant last weekend. We are going to flog furlong to death. Jack McGrath is another fella who could have done with a summer off.
actually lying on the ground. Jokeshop.